Headlines for Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Gulf disaster hearing continue, as does seepage
In Louisiana, hearings into the gulf oil disaster continued today. A chief engineer on the Macondo rig took the 5th again. This time, Transocean's Steven Bertone refused to answer when asked if he was told to leave anyone behind on the rig just after the explosion. And a BP employee said that he reported a leak in a safety device weeks before the explosion. Pressure levels at the now-capped well continue to drop slightly – it’s not clear if that’s because the flow is beginning to slow – or if oil is slowly seeping out through the ocean floor. BP is considering yet another approach to sealing the well – bull heading. Also known as a static kill, the process involves packing mud back into the well. It’s very similar to the top kill that failed to work when the upward pressure as higher.  On Friday, the Interior Department issued the first shallow water drilling permit since the explosion.

Florida - briefly - considers near shore ban
Today in Florida, the state legislature convened a special session to consider a constitutional ban on near shore drilling. Kate Bradshaw reports.

In less than an hour, House Republicans shut down the session that could have put a drilling ban on the ballot in November. They say there’s already a ban on the books, and that a constitutional amendment isn’t necessary. The senate voted to adjourn shortly after. House Speaker Larry Cretul.

“The governor’s sole proposal to amend the constitution will not put a single new skimmer off the beaches of our coast, won’t produce any new boom to protect our coasts, won’t save a single business, or create a single job.”

Critics say Republicans blocked the vote out of bitterness toward Governor Charlie Crist, who called the session. Crist left the GOP to run for US Senate without party affiliation in April. Democrats also say Republican legislators are beholden to the oil industry. But during a short debate, House Republicans said they want to discuss the immediate aspects of the oil disaster – namely the claims process – in a special session this September, after the August primary. Kate Bradshaw, FSRN, Tampa.

Mr. Cameron goes to Washington; meets with Obama and Democrats who want to know about possible BP/Lockerbie connection
British Prime Minister David Cameron is in Washington today where he hopes to talk to President Obama about the Middle East and Afghanistan; however BP and the oil disaster may overshadow those topics. Cameron will meet with four Senate Democrats who want to know if BP’s interest in lucrative Libyan oil contracts played a role in Scotland’s release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi. When asked about any connection today, Cameron said that was a question for BP to answer.

UK legal charity Reprieve calls for torture inquiry judge to step down
In the UK, support for the Afghan war is waning and two inquiries related to the so-called war on terrorism are underway. Naomi Fowler reports from London.

It’s not been the best of days for Britain’s still young coalition government; they hoped they could draw a line under the ongoing case where 6 former Guantanamo detainees are suing the secret services for their alleged involvement in their kidnap and torture; but now they face accusations that the investigation they recently announced into British complicity in the abuse of detainees is a sham. Reprieve claims that because the man they’ve appointed to chair the inquiry Sir Peter Gibson oversaw the security services for the last four years in his role as the intelligence services commissioner, he can’t be impartial. Not only that, but the government is asking him to scrutinizes his own work. Reprieve lawyer Clive Stafford-Smith:

“He’s written three times in a row in his own reports that he’s concluded that all the staff at MI5 and MI6 continue to be quote ‘trustworthy, conscientious and dependable.’ I mean come on, this is ridiculous!”

Reprieve says they’ll consider their legal options if Sir Peter refuses to step down. Naomi Fowler, FSRN, London.

Kagan nomination advances, with one Republican Senator crossing aisle
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of Solicitor General Elena Kagan to the US Supreme Court today. Kagan was supported by all 12 Democrats on the committee – they were joined by one Republican – Sen. Lindsey Graham. A final vote by the full Senate could happen as early as next week.

Kashmir: tension persists after more youth killed
In Kashmir -- more killings, more protests, and more tension -- Shahnawaz Khan explains.

A curfew and severe restrictions were imposed Tuesday in the major towns of Indian administered Kashmir, including Srinagar, as authorities feared fresh tension over the killing of a youth by police on Monday. Fayaz Ahmad Khanday was killed when police fired on angry protesters carrying the body of ten-year-old Faiza Buhroo -- who drowned on Saturday. Though police denied any role in his death, witnesses allege he and another boy jumped into the river to escape police chasing protesters. For Kashmir it means no end to a cycle of killings and protests. Since June 11, seventeen people, mostly teenagers, are dead in police and paramilitary actions on protesters. Curfews to prevent escalations, and separatist sponsored shutdowns to protest deaths, have paralyzed the region for over a month now. Shahnawaz Khan, FSRN, Srinagar.